Return of a Racer
by whyyouackinsocraycray
Summary: Sequel to Before the Game. Sugar Rush wasn't the only thing that was reset to it's original programming when Vanellope crossed the finish line, and now it's up to a certain someone to make amends, clear his name, and win back the love of his life...if he can find her, that is. Contains spoilers. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: Here's the sequel to Before the Game! This takes place after the events in the movie, so therefore contains spoilers. Not much of it will make sense if you didn't read the first story, but those are really the only warnings I have. Thank you for reading!**_

Video game characters were not supposed to feel a lot of pain. Of course, they weren't supposed to fly into a volcano of boiling diet cola, either. Therefore, Teddy was in far more pain then he knew was possible. Everything ached and burned, even though he figured that it had been at least a few days since the incident. He could barely even recall what happened, save the various flashbacks that came with every glitch, which were fairly frequent. The instant he thought about it, his body dissolved into a wave of pixels yet again, and he screamed as a memory came rushing back to him.

* * *

_Turning a curve, he felt like the world was at his fingertips. The glitch was locked up and her kart was destroyed, Ralph had left, and he was so far ahead of the rest of the racers that he could relax a bit. Suddenly, he heard a familiar sound coming from behind him; the sound of a go-kart engine. _That must be Taffyta._ He thought. She had always been the one to give him a bit of a challenge. He turned to get a glimpse of his competitor, and was shocked to find that it was definitely__** not**__ Taffyta. In fact, it almost looked like…_ _no, __**it couldn't be**__. She was in the fungeon! He took off his goggles; sure they were distorting his vision. _

_"What?" he wondered out loud as the glitch zoomed in front of him. He didn't know how it was possible, but he knew one thing: she could __**not**__ be allowed to cross the finish line! He saw a drop off with a sign labeled "Danger: Road Closed." But, being the king, he knew all about the little secrets hidden in the game, and this was one of them. He crashed through the sign and dropped down onto yet another path. He drove through a small cave onto a road that was almost completely concealed in darkness. And of course, that was when the glitch started to approach. He floored the gas and flew off the ledge, hitting Vanellope's kart at just the right angle to spin it around, planting the front wheels helplessly on the front of his kart._

_"Get off of my track!" He shouted._

_"Hey! What are you, crazy?"_

_"I forbid you…" He pulled a cane out of its holder in the kart and put it onto the gas pedal to keep it going. "To cross…" He climbed closer to the glitch's kart. "That finish line!" Grabbing the horn off of his hood, he started hitting Vanellope's windshield, cracking it._

_"Hey! Knock it off!" she shouted, but he continued until the candy windshield was completely shattered. Now he could aim for his real target. He didn't want to kill Vanellope or anything, but a good bonk on the noggin would've rendered her unconscious for at least the rest of the race. But as he lowered the rod down, she grabbed it with her pudgy little fingers and tried to pull it away._

_"No!" He groaned._

_"Stop it!"_

_"Let it go!" He shouted, not noticing the familiar feeling of a glitch running through his body. "I'm not letting you undo all my hard work!" he continued to try to pull it away, but the little kid was surprisingly strong. Eventually, he realized that she was giving him a strange look. He looked down to see a wave of red binary flashing away his regal outfit, revealing a far more… familiar, retro-looking jumpsuit. He screamed and his eyes widened as his fears were confirmed; he no longer looked like a cheery, old king. His secret had been revealed. _I should have known this would happen! _He thought. _Even after all this time, foreign anomalies still cause me to start glitching!_ His appearance continued to flicker back and forth between Turbo and King Candy. _

_"What the…? Who are you?" Vanellope asked fearfully. Realizing that there was no hiding the truth now, he figured that he might as well tell the little pest._

_"I'm Turbo! The greatest racer __**ever! **__And I did __**not**__ reprogram this world to let __**you **__and that __**halitosis riddled warthog TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME!"**__ He sat back down and slammed on the gas, flipping Vanellope's kart on its side, and headed straight for a fork in the road. "Turbo-Tastic!" he shouted with a chuckle. "End of the line, __**GLITCH!**__"_

* * *

Teddy gasped as he came back to the present.

"I'm a monster." He whispered to himself; he still wasn't well enough to full-on talk. His eyes blinked open, and he took in his surroundings. He was in what looked like a track, but he hadn't seen it before. After a bit of thinking, he realized that he was** inside** the volcano. He shrieked as the memory of the burning hot cola flashed through his mind. Even thinking about it was painful. _I deserve it. _He thought. _I got two games unplugged, took over another one, and put that poor little girl through everything that Jack put __**me **__through. I am a __**horrible**__ person. Wait a second… I knew all of this a few days ago, and I didn't care. Does this mean… _

"I'm…back?" he wondered aloud. Utilizing all of his energy, he pushed himself into a sitting position. He looked down at his hands to find that they were no longer purely white, but a normal skin tone. He was still in the same red and white jumpsuit and sneakers, and thankfully, he was no longer a Cy-Bug, though he had figured that out already based on the fact that he actually had full control over his own mind. "I-I'm back! I'm actually **back**!" Then, the reality of the situation hit him and his excited tone of voice turned to a much more fearful one. "Oh my gosh, I'm back! What am I supposed to say? There's no way I can just go out there and be like: oh, hey there everybody. I know I'm the most hated person in the arcade and everyone thinks that I'm dead, but let's all catch up!" Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice coming from the entrance.

"Alright, Hammertime. If we're gonna find your sister, we need to look everywhere!" Vanellope. Teddy's eyes widened. _I can't let her see me!_

"Are you sure this is going to work, Vanny?" another voice asked. _Felix? What's __**he**__ doing here? _

"Of course! We'll find Felicity eventually! We just gotta keep lookin'!" _Wait, Felicity's missing? _From where he was sitting, Teddy could see that Felix was looking sadly at the pool of cola. "What's wrong, Felix?"

"Nothing, little missy. It's just that this is where…you know…" He didn't need to say anything more.

"Oh. Right. But ya know, Teddy was beyond redemption when it happened! Even if he **hadn't** gotten burned up, he would have just kept being evil!" _Wait, how does she know that my name is Teddy? She only knows me as Turbo!_

"I know, but he was still my best friend. In a weird way, I actually miss him."

"Wait a second… What's that?" Vanellope asked. Teddy gulped. She had spotted him. She ran up closer to get a better look and gasped when she saw him. "I-is that w-who I think it is?" Felix sprinted up behind her. Teddy wanted to acknowledge them in some way, but he was in too much pain to move. He had even fallen back onto the ground.

"Turbo?" Felix asked.

"No." Teddy breathed. "Not anymore." Felix turned him over so he could get a look at his face. His eyes lit up and he smiled. "T-Teddy?"

"Long time no see, eh, brother?"

"Oh my land! I-I can't believe it! It's really you! I never thought I'd see you again!" He put his arms out and pulled his friend into a huge hug.

"Ow!" Teddy squeaked.

"Oh, sorry!" Felix said, lowering him back onto the ground. "I'm just so glad to see you! But how on earth did you…you know…come back?"

"I have no idea." Teddy replied, glancing at Vanellope who, to his surprise, was smiling at him. "H-hey, Vanellope. I am **so sorry! **I know there is absolutely no excuse for what I did, but I want you to know that I-"

"Relax, Teddy! I'm not mad at you! Felix told me everything!"

"Everything?"

"Pretty much."

"So you know what Jack did?"

"Yep. I know that none of this was your fault!"

"Well, technically…"

"No! I don't want to hear it! Everything that happened was because of Jack! Not you!"

"If you insist. Thanks for being so forgiving, Vanellope. I honestly don't think I deserve it."

"Well, I think you do!" Felix chimed. "You're a great guy, Teddy! Turbo…not so much. But **you** are one of the nicest people I've ever met. And that's coming from **me**."

"But what are we going to tell everyone?" Vanellope asked. "They all only know him as Turbo. How are we gonna convince them that he's not like that anymore?"

"Well, aside from the outfit, he doesn't really** look **like Turbo anymore."

"Good point, Hammertime!" Vanellope chimed. "What do ya say, Teddy? Wanna go say hi to everyone? I bet Stinkbrain'll be happy to see ya."

"Who's Stinkbrain?" Teddy asked.

"Ralph! G-doi!"

"Well, I'd love to, but I can't actually move at the moment."

"Oh, right!" Felix said. "Vanellope, go get an ambulance! He needs to be taken back to the castle for recovery!"

"I'm on it!" She said, running out of sight. Felix turned to face Teddy.

"I can't believe it. After all this time, you're actually back."

"I honestly can't believe it either." Teddy chuckled. "But I do have something to ask you."

"What?"

"When you and Vanellope walked in, you said you couldn't find Felicity."

"Yeah. She kind of…vanished fifteen years ago. I've been trying to search for her, but I haven't been able to find her anywhere. Luckily, Vanny and Ralph are helping me now, so it's that much more likely that we'll come across her."

"I really hope you do. When I'm in better condition, I'd love to help, too! I couldn't imagine life without her."

"The more the merrier!" Felix replied. That was when the ambulance showed up, and Teddy was driven back to the castle. But his poor condition was the last thing on his mind. All that he could think about was Felicity.


	2. Chapter 2

Teddy tossed and turned in his sleep.

"No…Nooo!" he mumbled, yet another nightmare destroying his good night's rest.

* * *

_"That rotten, good-for-nothing idiot!" He muttered, pacing back and forth. "Thinks he can keep me down…ha ha…I'll show him. He'll see! No one messes with __**me**__ and gets away with it!" Behind him, two identical looking racers in matching blue jumpsuits looked on nervously._

_"You okay, Turbo?" One of them asked. "You seem a little frazzled. Even more so than usual."_

_"Why on earth would I be okay, Jet?" Turbo snapped. "That pathetic __**fool**__ kept me down for years! Now, I'm finally on top where I belong, and he thinks he can come in with his fancy graphics and advanced gameplay and ruin __**everything**__!"_

_"Turbo, chill out!" The other twin exclaimed. "The only reason RoadBlasters is doing so well is because it's new and exciting! As soon as the initial thrill wears off, the gamers will come right back to us!"_

_"You're wrong, Set! You don't know Jack like I do! He is ruthless, obsessive, and will stop at nothing to get his way!"_

_"So he's just like you?" Jet asked._

_"In a way. Yes. But that's not the point!" Turbo growled. "Were you not paying attention when RoadBlasters was plugged in? The kids left us in the middle of gameplay for __**Jack!**__"_

_"Well, what are we supposed to do?" Set asked. "We can't control what the gamers think of us!" Turbo turned to see Stanley Litwak's car pull into the parking lot of the arcade, which meant one thing; it was about to open for the day. Already, kids were lining up at the door._

_"Maybe we can't do that…But we __**can**__ remind them what's __**really**__ important!" He jumped into his kart and sped off through the power cord, heading towards Game Central Station._

_"Turbo, what are you doing? The arcade's opening!"_

_"Exactly!" He shouted, driving out of sight. He sped out the exit, and into the normally crowded station that was now almost vacant, save for the students in Litwak High who had yet to get their own game, Surge Protector, and a few homeless characters whose games had been unplugged. He slammed on the gas and swerved into the outlet marked "RoadBlasters." As he reached the game, two kids had already inserted their quarters into the popular machine. He recognized them instantly. They used to play his game frequently. Now, it was time to remind them what they were missing! He zoomed through the screen, deciding the shout his signature catchphrase for good measure._

_"Turbo-Tastic!" Jack, who, being the best racer in class, had become the protagonist of the new game, stared at his rival in shock. He knew that Turbo was as much (if not more) of an attention hog as he was, but game jumping during arcade hours? That was  
completely unheard of and insane! The player was clearly as surprised as Jack was, and crashed him into a tree._

_"Hey! Is that…" One kid said. Turbo zoomed across the screen once again, getting closer up so the players could see him better. __**Then**__ they would forget about the other game._

_"Turbo-Tastic!"_

_"That looks like Turbo!"_

_"Turbo-Tastic!"_

_"What's Turbo doing in this game?" The other kid asked. Turbo drove towards the other side of the screen; this time right near Jack's car. Once again, he shouted his catchphrase, forgetting two things. 1. That he needed to keep his eyes on the road, and 2. He was getting dangerously close to something alien enough to his code to make him start glitching._

_"Turbo-TastiíïĩįİıɨɬͥίїᴵᵎᶖḭỉịỊἷΐῗ¡" He zoomed right into Jack, and he, along with the rest of the game erupted in a wave of binary and pixels. Turbo had glitched before; many times actually, but never this much, never during arcade hours it had __**certainly **__never affected an entire game before. _

_"Aww, come on!" One of the gamers exclaimed._

_"Mr. Litwak!" The other called. The owner of the arcade rushed over, and didn't even need to look twice before slapping an "Out of Order" sign on the malfunctioning game. Jack and Turbo sped towards the exit, and just barely made it out as the plug was pulled. Turbo's eyes widened in shock as he saw the sign that said "Turbo Time" flicker off, as well._

_"__**NO!**__"_

_"Wait to go, glitch. Now you got us __**both**__ unplugged." Jack scoffed angrily, shoving his enemy. Turbo looked around and gulped as he saw the few inhabitants of Game Central Station glaring at him. But the only dirty look that he really noticed was the one that was being given to him by none other than Felicity. It was at this point that he realized just how bad what he did really was. And now, there was no going back._

* * *

Teddy's eyes shot open, and he screamed in terror. He had been plagued by nightmares ever since he was found inside Diet Cola Mountain, and the worst part was that he wasn't able to be comforted by the thought that they were all just dreams, because they were much more than that. They were memories. Memories of all of the horrible things that he had done as Turbo, and to a slightly lesser extent, King Candy. The door cracked open, and a familiar voice was heard.

"Teddy, you okay? I heard you screaming."

"Yeah, I'm fine, Vanellope. I just had a bad dream, that's all. Did I wake you?"

"No, I couldn't sleep anyway. Was it about Turbo again?"

"Yeah. You know, you really don't have to talk about Turbo as if he's a different person."

"Well, he is to me!" Vanellope said cheerfully. "He was basically just Jack's personality in your body. Only more extreme and mentally unstable."

"Thanks, that's so helpful." Teddy replied sarcastically.

"Hey, don't be like that! You're **you** now! Everything's alright! We're gonna get you feeling better, find Felicity, and everything will be just fine!"

"Vanny, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it ya wanna know?"

"Why are you so sure we'll find Felicity? Felix has been looking for her for fifteen years, and he hasn't found a trace of her!"

"Well, yeah, but now that there's more of us, it'll be that much easier to find her! Especially now that you're back! Apparently, when you became Turbo, Felicity was absolutely heartbroken! Now that you're Teddy again, she might come back for you!"

"We'll just have to wait and see, kid." Teddy said unenthusiastically.

"Trust me, Teddy. Everything will be alright."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: Alright, here's Chapter 3! If it isn't as good as it could be, it's because I got this free word processor app on my iPod, (my laptop has a nasty virus) and I wrote almost all of this chapter, and it got deleted! I had to rewrite it from memory, but I think that the original version was much better. The moral of this story: never download a free word processor app that doesn't save anything, and rely solely on copying/pasting to keep your writing safe. You may accidentally copy something else unintentionally and lose about a half hour's worth of what you think is some of your best work. Ugh! Oh, well. Here's chapter 3. Hope you enjoy it!**_

About a week had passed, and Teddy had recovered enough to walk around the castle for the first time in a while, though he insisted that Felix accompany him, and refused to go into the throne room. It contained far too many unpleasant memories. He shuddered at the mere thought of everything that had taken place in the castle over the course of the last fifteen years; everything that Turbo had done. He had done what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it, and now Teddy had to pay the price. He had finally started listening to the others, and started trying to think of Turbo as a different person, but that didn't stop the horrible flashbacks from afflicting his thoughts with every room he passed, and every familiar landmark he saw. Everything contained memories of some sort; some bad and some good, though even the good ones were wrapped in a layer of guilt. They were memories he had made as King Candy, and if he had never taken on the persona of the false ruler, Vanellope would never have become a glitch. She would never have had to go through the same taunting and bullying that Teddy himself was all too familiar with.

Felix studied his friend carefully. He couldn't say that he knew how he felt, or at least he couldn't say it literally. He had never gotten two games unplugged, or taken over another one. Heck, until recently, he rarely ventured out of his own game at all. But, he did know what guilt was like, and he knew how horrible it was knowing that you did something completely unforgivable, and having no means of undoing it. When he realized just how hard Ralph's life had been, all because he and the Nicelanders had purposely excluded him from just about everything, he felt horrible. Ralph was incredibly forgiving, but that didn't stop Felix from metaphorically beating himself up over it for a long time. If he was fraught with soul-crushing guilt over **that** for so long, he couldn't imagine what his best friend was going through.

Teddy's nervous expression slowly faded into a far less anxious looking, albeit a bit hesitant smile as they approached a room with a big, graham cracker door. Felix instantly took notice of this.

"What room is that, brother?"

"Only the kitchen. No biggie."

"Then what's with the smile?"

"It's just the one room in the castle that I feel comfortable going into."

"Why?"

"You'll see." Teddy chuckled as they approached the room. He tapped lightly on the door, not wanting to just barge in uninvited. He didn't technically live there anymore.

"Come in!" A feminine voice called out from behind the door. Teddy pushed it open, and Felix got a first glimpse of the girl who had called out. She wore a red dress and a food-covered apron. Freckles dotted her cheeks, and her light brown hair framed her face like a waterfall of chocolate.

"So **this** is the Fix-It Felix that I've been hearing so much about!" She said with such a strong southern accent that the handyman sounded like a city boy by comparison.

"In person!" He replied. "And you are?"

"My name's Carmella Applecrisp. Who's this?" She asked, looking towards Teddy.

"Well, this is my buddy, Teddy." Felix replied.

"Is that so?" She asked. "He certainly looks quite a bit different than before."

"You knew him?"

"Well, yeah! I'm the castle cook, and back when he was King Candy, he spent a lot of time in here. We actually friends at the time...you know, as close to friends as you could get in **that** situation."

"Yeah." Teddy replied nervously, "Sorry about all that by the way. I wasn't exactly...myself at the time. You see-"

"I've heard the story, Teddy!" Carmella replied. "Everyone has!"

"Really? Word sure gets around here quickly!"

"Well, the game is populated almost solely by talkative, hyperactive nine-year-olds." The girl chuckled. She was one of the only adult characters in the game, appearing to be somewhere in her mid twenties. "Some of them more so than others, but..."

"I know!" Teddy chuckled. "Most of them don't take themselves seriously, but quite a few do to a fault!" They both laughed, only to be interrupted by the *ding* of the kitchen timer. Carmella rushed over to the oven, clearly having forgotten that she was baking something. Teddy sniffed the air as the familiar scent wafted out. "Is that apple pie I smell?" He asked.

"Yep! Your favorite." Carmella replied. "I figured that it would be a nice dessert for the big dinner tonight!" Felix smiled. He had always been quite the pie fan himself.

"Big dinner?" Teddy asked.

"Yeah. You didn't hear? Vanellope's holding a huge banquet to celebrate the one month anniversary of the day she met Ralph and regained her rightful position as the ruler of Sugar Rush."

"It's been a month already?" Teddy asked surprisedly. "How long was I unconscious in that volcano?"

"A while." Felix replied.

"My goodness! I could have sworn that it was only for a few days!"

"Well, at least you're fine now!" Carmella replied. "I mean, you're pretty lucky you regenerated at all!"

"Yeah." Felix agreed. "I've actually been meaning to ask you, how did you regenerate? This isn't your game!"

"Well, I guess it's because I had coded myself in. That's why the Cy-Bug died, but I didn't."

"But shouldn't you have regenerated as King Candy, then?" Carmella asked. "How are you back to your original self?"

"You see, what I've figured out is that I actually did regenerate as King Candy, or Turbo at least. Therefore, I was still part of the game when Vanellope crossed the finish line and reset the game. I'm guessing that I changed back to my original programming the same way that she did when she turned back into the princess. I still had all my memories in tact, but I was returned to my initial settings from Turbo Time."

"You don't look like Turbo, though." Carmella replied.

"Yes, but technically, I was already a part of the game when Jack edited my code. Therefore, that is my official coding, which is a relief, because I really would not enjoy going way back to what it was when I was young."

"Why?" Carmella asked. Teddy sighed and reluctantly muttered the truth about his past.

"Because I was a glitch." Carmella stifled a laugh, which Teddy quickly noticed. "What?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing." She chuckled. "I just find it ironic that during all those years, Vanellope was actually the ruler of Sugar Rush while King Candy was the glitch."

"I never thought about it like that!" Felix laughed. "You two completely switched roles!" His smile faded when he saw the grim expression on his friend's face. "Teddy, you okay?"

"Do I **look** okay to you?" He asked; his voice shaking.

"Ted, I didn't mean-"

"I know **exactly** what you meant. The same thing that everyone means."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize-"

"**You're** sorry? You really don't get it, do you? Up until school started and I met you and Felicity, Jack made my life miserable! And because of me, Vanellope had to go through the exact same thing for fifteen straight years!"

"That is not true!" Felix argued. "It was all Jack's fault, and you know it!"

"Of course **you** would think that the whole thing was because of one person! You and the Nicelanders did play the blame game with Ralph for thirty years!"

"Alright, I'm going to ignore that last comment and ask: who could have possibly been to blame other than Jack?"

"Me!"

"Not you. **Turbo**!"

"Don't you get it? Turbo was just me with a different mindset! He wasn't Jack!"

"So?"

"So, it showed what horrible things I am capable of!"

"Just because you can do something doesn't mean you're going to do it!"

"Yes, but I already **did** do it!"

"No, you didn't! You said yourself that you weren't in the same mindset at the time! Your personality was changed, and therefore, so were you! You were a completely different guy!"

"And that other guy ruined my life! I lost everything; my self-respect, my peace of mind...**Felicity**..." Tears formed in his eyes, and he sat down on a stool near the counter; his head in his hands. Felix sighed and put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"It's okay." He said reassuringly. "I miss her, too."

"I never even got to tell her how I really felt about her!" Teddy said; his voice trembling.

"I can see that this is a sensitive subject," Carmella interjected, "But **why** is it one, exactly? What's the big deal?" Teddy looked up, wiping a tear from him eye.

"Let's just say that she was one of the only people who was actually nice to me when we were younger. I also would be lying if I said that I didn't have a huge crush on her back then, as well. We finally started going out, and everything was going great. We were crazy about each other. That is, until Turbo came along. He drove her away, and now that I'm finally back, she's gone. Possibly for good!"

"I'm sorry, Teddy." She replied sympathetically. "But hey, there's nothing saying that she's dead, so that's a good sign, right?"

"I guess so." Teddy said unenthusiastically.

"I'll bet she's closer than you think, Teddy! You just have to look closely."


	4. Chapter 4

Vanellope paced back and forth anxiously. It was almost time for her and Ralph's banquet, and it would be the first big event that she hosted ever since she was reinstated as the ruler of Sugar Rush. Not to mention, the first time that Teddy interacted with the racers since the very day that they were celebrating. She sighed nervously, hoping that everything would go as planned.

"Well, hello there, little lady!" she heard from behind her.

"Hey, what's up Hammertime? How's Sarge doing?"

"Oh, Tammy's fine. She's just getting ready; I think she'll be here any minute." Felix replied.

"And she knows that Teddy's going to be here, right?" She confirmed.

"Yeeaahh, about that…" Felix replied nervously. "She doesn't actually know that he's back yet, so…"

"Well, when were you planning on telling her?!"

"I don't know. Immediately before dinner starts?"

"Felix, you know that if she sees him, she'll be able to put two and two together, and then she'll attack him or something!"

"I know, I know, I know! I was just hoping that she would be able to keep her cool better if she found out while surrounded by children. I love her and all, but she tends to be **pretty** intense."

"Yeah. She's certainly different from anyone around **here**. And not just counting the fact that we're all little kids. You know, with the exceptions of Wynnchel, Duncan, Beard Papa, Sour Bill, and Carmella."

"Yeah. What's the deal with Carmella, by the way? She seemed **awfully** forgiving of Teddy for someone who probably didn't know all the details about what happened to him." He said. While the story had been going around the game faster than he had ever thought it could, it seemed to change drastically every time someone told it. Felix himself had heard several different versions, and while they all had the same basic idea, they certainly weren't what really happened by any stretch of the imagination.

"Well, I've heard that the two of them were really good friends back when Teddy was King Candy." Vanellope said.

"I find that hard to believe. He wasn't exactly friendly back then."

"Well, that was the thing; he was **very** good at putting on an act. Just ask Stinkbrain."

"I know. It just seems like they're much closer than they should be…"

"Felix, I know Carmella. She's just really nice. She has been since the day Sugar Rush was plugged in."

"I know, I just think that she might be-"

"Look, Hammertime; I know what you're thinking, and while it would make a little sense, I don't think it's true."

"But-"

"I'm sorry, Felix. Maybe you're right, but I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you."

"Alright." Felix sighed dejectedly.

"H-hey guys, w-what are you t-talking about?" The two turned towards the sound of the person who had spoken.

"Oh, hey Teddy!" Felix said cheerfully; glad to see that his friend had worked up the courage to show up to the feast. Teddy had been incredibly nervous about it, and clearly still was, based on his hunched over posture, carefully averted eyes, and the fact that his stutter was making a reappearance. Felix figured that he shouldn't stress him out more by telling him the full details of their discussion, so he just said a simple: "We were just talking about Carmella."

"Isn't she great? I have to tell you; the two of us can talk for hours on end, and still have more to discuss!" He said, instantly perking up.

"It's good to hear that you have a friend other than me within the game already." Vanellope said cheerfully, picking up on Felix's approach to the situation.

"Yeah. H-hopefully all the other citizens of Sugar Rush will be the same way." Teddy replied; dread filling his eyes once again. Felix sighed. He just wanted Teddy to calm down for at least a small period of time, but he was almost constantly anxiety-ridden and filled to the brim with soul-crushing guilt. He wanted to do something to help, but even when he tried, the few moments that he was able to catch glimpses of the old, cheerful Teddy were very fleeting. And while Carmella had been referring to another, much more drastic change, she had certainly been right when she said that he looked incredibly different than he used to. His previously joyful eyes were now constantly filled with fear and shame, and surrounded with the dark circles that weren't nearly as noticeable as when he was Turbo, but certainly expressed just how little sleep he had gotten recently. To add to all of that, Felix could have sworn that Teddy's hair was beginning to turn slightly gray, though he figured that it may have been due to lighting, or maybe it was somehow left over from the character design that he had used as King Candy. While video game characters ceased to age once they reached a certain point, all of these things had made Felix have to frequently remind himself that Teddy was the younger one out of the two of them.

"I'm sure it will be fine, Teddy!" Vanellope comforted him. "Everyone that I've talked to has said that they're looking forward to seeing you!"

"Really?"

"Yeah Trust me, Teddy, they'll love-" she began, before being interrupted to the shout of one of the donut policemen from behind.

"Madam president! Madam President!" he panted, clearly out of breath.

"What is it, Duncan?" She asked with an annoyed expression on her face.

"Me and Wynnchel…Game Central Station…found someone…might want to see."

"Relax man! Breathe a little!" Vanellope laughed. "Now who is this person you wanted me to see?"

"You might want…to see for yourself…bring Teddy with you."

"Me?" Teddy asked. Duncan nodded and sat down. The two racers exchanged glances, and then all three of them headed towards the station, figuring that it shouldn't take too much time. When they arrived, Teddy instantly saw Wynnchel, and it didn't take very long to notice the person on the floor at his feet. Looking more closely at the figure on the ground, Teddy could have sworn that he recognized his face, when suddenly it hit him. The figure's hair hung loose and stuck out messily, his clothing was tattered and torn, and he looked incredibly thin, as if he hadn't had enough to eat for a while, but his eyes still were filled with the same look of hatred and disdain that Teddy had grown used to seeing. "**Jack**?"

"Long time no see, **glitch**." Jack scowled.

"What do you want us to do with him, Ted?" Wynnchel asked.

"What do **I **want?" He asked.

"Well, yeah. You're the one whose code he messed up, so I figure that you should be the one who gets to pick his punishment." At this point, nearly the whole arcade had gathered to watch. Jack looked up at his rival with contempt as he paused, trying to think.

"Would you quit beating around the bush?" he growled.

"What?"

"We all know that you're going to have me executed. Why don't you just go ahead and say it?"

"Jack, I'm not having you executed!" Teddy replied.

"You're not?" Jack asked.

"No. You will get the punishment you deserve."

"And that is?" At this, Teddy paused again, trying to figure out exactly what to say. Eventually, he made his decision.

You will move into another racing game of my choosing."

"Well that doesn't sound like a punishment." Jack scoffed.

"Yeah, that sounds more like a reward!" Vanellope added.

"Well, you didn't let me finish!" Teddy said slyly. "You will not be allowed to drive, go anywhere near the code room, or leave the game unless it's an emergency. **And**, you will be everyone in that game's personal servant. You must do what they ask when they ask it, no matter what." Jack's eyes sunk, though there was some relief mixed in with the dissatisfaction that he was trying to show. The crowd erupted into a loud, long applause, mortifying the former racer even more. This sealed the deal; he and Teddy's roles had officially swapped. _It's __**me**__ they should be cheering for, not this pathetic little glitch. _He thought. _Sure, I messed with his code, but __**he**__ was the one who invaded the other games. That was all Turbo! But then again…I guess that he never would have done any of that if I had just let things be. And now I've heard that Felicity's missing, and- Wait! What am I thinking? I've never cared about any of that stuff! Just focus on the situation, Jack. Remember: you're made of steel. _Eventually the crowd dispersed, leaving just Teddy, Jack, Vanellope, and Felix. Teddy looked content with himself, but Vanellope wasn't going to let the person who had ruined her friend's (and in a way, her own) life off that easily. Noticing the hateful scowl plastered on Jack's face, she glared down at him with anger.

"Don't you dare give Teddy that look!" She shouted. "You deserved a much worse punishment, and you know it! You got lucky!"

"Well, it's not up to you, kid! Now why don't you run off into your sweet little game and have a tea party with your dolls?" Jack retorted. Now, Vanellope was really mad, but she wasn't about to let him see that.

"Oh, I'd love to, but I'm a little too busy being **president**!" She replied in a sickly sweet voice, starting to lunge out at him.

"Alright, break it up you two!" Felix said, putting himself between the two racers. He didn't need a fight breaking out. Vanellope sighed, and turned towards Teddy.

"But seriously, man! Why'd you let him off so easy? You might as well have given him a time out and a warning."

"Well, Vanellope, it's because I don't believe that anyone is purely kind or purely evil. Back in school, people would look at me and see nothing but the bad; the rumors that they had heard, the fact that I was a complete outcast...but they never once took a step back to look at the good. Felix was the first person to ever do that, and to this day, I'm thankful that he did. He was the first real friend that I ever had, all because he looked at the big picture instead of the more well-known piece of it. And I'm not going to completely get rid of the kindness that I know exists deep down inside of Jack just to punish the cruel side that he usually shows. But, that doesn't mean that he shouldn't be punished, which is why I gave him what I did. Now, if you two want to head up to the banquet, go ahead. I'll catch up soon. I just need to have a little **chat** with Jack." Vanellope tried to protest, but Felix nodded his head and led her towards Sugar Rush. Once they were gone, he turned towards his rival. He wanted to yell, laugh at his expense, and finally do everything he could to give him a taste of his own medicine, but he didn't. All that came out was: "What happened to you?"

"What **happened** was that after you got RoadBlasters unplugged, people started to figure out about what I did to your code."

"Why was it **then **that they realized it?"

"Because no one could believe that 'precious little Teddy' could get an entire game unplugged, and people started to get suspicious. Once they realized what I did, I had to go into hiding. I've been living inside the walls of Game Central for years." Jack said with a scowl as if everything that happened to him was somehow Teddy's fault. "And now I'm going to ask the question that actually matters. Why did you do it?"

"Why did I do **what**?"

"Why did you let me off so easy?"

"I already said-"

"Yeah, yeah. I heard what you said. And I believe that you think that. But I don't think that's why you did what you did. So tell me, what's the **real** reason?"

"Well, that's one of the things that I wanted to talk to you about. You see, to the public, all of the things that I said you would have to do is your punishment, but I know something that is significantly worse, and it is exactly what you're going to get."

"And what is that?"

"Guilt."

"You know that you can't make me feel guilty." Jack scoffed.

"Oh, but I can." Teddy replied. "You see, Jack, you put on this act like you're this tough-as-nails, confident, jerk with no heart, but I've seen your soft side first hand. I know that you have insecurities. I know that you have a conscience. But most of all, I know a fact that can completely change everything about the way you think. I never told you because you had never done anything so bad that I felt that you needed to know, but now you have."

"And what is this 'fact?'" Jack growled.

"The fact that everything that happened was technically my fault."

"Because you were Turbo?"

"No. Because of something that I did when we were younger. The thing that made you start hating me."

"Do I remember this thing that you did?"

"No. that's actually the point. You see, Jack, when you realized that helping me stop being a glitch put your dad's job in jeopardy, what do you think happened?"

"I realized that you were dangerous and started doing everything I could to keep you off the track."

"No you didn't." Teddy replied. "You still tried to help me, but I knew that doing so would put you in danger, so I went into the code room and edited your memory, taking away the one thing in your coding that was making you insist on standing by me. And as you know, whenever someone's memory is changed via their code, being reminded of what they had forgotten makes them remember it again. And once the memories surrounding the thing that I made you forget come rushing back to you, you're going to regret every name you ever called me, every rumor that you spread about me, and you will **never** be able to forgive yourself for messing with my code."

"What could it possibly be that is so bad that I would feel **that** guilty about everything? And why would I possibly have wanted to help a **glitch** like you? You know, aside from complete and utter foolishness." Jack asked, turning away, scowling. "What were you, my best friend or something? Because I kind of already know that."

"Well, you're technically right. We **were** friends, but that's not really it." Teddy replied. Jack scoffed, starting to walk away, figuring that what he was about to say couldn't possibly be as horrible as he was implying; that he was just being dramatic. But, he couldn't have been more wrong. He stopped in his tracks in shock when he heard what Teddy said next. And the memories that came rushing back not only shocked him to no extent, but dramatically altered his opinion on everything that he had ever done; everything that he ever believed. "It's the reason that we were as close as we were. You think that it's just because you were young and stupid, and wanted a playmate that was around your age, but that's not true. The truth is…" Teddy said solemnly, pausing dramatically before finally finishing with the four words that would haunt his former rival forever: "I'm your brother, Jack."


	5. Chapter 5

**_Author's Note: Here's Chapter 5! Not going to lie, I had no idea what to write for this chapter, but once I came up with an idea and ran with it, I think that it worked out pretty well. What do you guys think? Please leave a review and give me your opinions. It's really appreciated! Thank you, and enjoy the new chapter!_**

Teddy sighed in defeat. He had vowed never to reveal the truth to Jack, but then again, when he had said that, he couldn't have even imagined how far his brother would go to stay on top.

"N-no…Th-this can't be true. No way. We can't possibly-" Jack muttered to himself in shock. "But of course, then how could… but I…we…**I'm so confused**!"

"I'm sorry, Jack. I never thought that I would have to tell you, but it seemed that the safety of the whole arcade was on the line. Who knows what you would have tried to do if you never found out?"

"But you…I…h-how-"

"Look, I know that this is hard to accept, but it's the truth. I don't like it any more than you do-"

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Jack interrupted resentfully.

"What?"

"Do you know what could have been **avoided** if you have just **told** me when we were younger?!"

"Wait, so you're saying that you wished that I had told you before?"

"**Yes**, I am saying that, and **pretty clearly** if I do say so myself!"

"But… you **hated** me for years, especially in school. I figured that you would wish I had **never **told you."

"No, no, no! I did not **hate** you! My… **our** dad convinced me that you were a threat! Honestly, most of the things that I did when we were younger were because, while I hate to admit it, I was kind of freaked out by what you could accomplish."

"Wait, wait, wait! **You** were afraid of **me**?" Teddy laughed. Jack sighed in defeat.

"A little bit." He said self-consciously. "Could you blame me? All that I knew was that you had the potential to be incredibly dangerous."

"Me? Dangerous? There are plenty of words that could describe me, but I don't believe that dangerous is one of them."

"Says the guy who got two games unplugged, establishing the phrase "going Turbo," and then proceeded to take over Sugar Rush, forcing a little girl to be homeless and miserable for fifteen years straight, before threatening to kill both her and her best friend!" Jack snapped back. Teddy shuddered. Hearing all of this from Jack made him that much more ashamed, and it felt like they were right back in school; Jack standing over him angrily as he cowered in fear, though this time, It wasn't Jack that he was afraid of. It was himself.

"B-but…I-I d-didn't…I-it was…I-I…You…W-well…"

"Relax, man!" Jack chuckled.

"No, I will not relax! Why on earth would I relax? I spent **years**-"

"Alright, seriously, just stop talking!" Jack interrupted. "You're really starting to get on my nerves."

"You know, you're being pretty rude to the guy who could still have you executed." Teddy replied coldly. Jack's eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. He knew that he had gone too far, but he couldn't let Teddy know that he was legitimately terrified of him.

"Alright, I'll admit, that was a bit unnecessary. But, dude. You need to calm down a little. Seriously, I overheard Felix freaking out about your hair turning gray."

"What? I am not going gray! Felix is just worried about me, because-"

"Honestly, Ted. Have you **looked** in a mirror lately?" Jack interrupted.

"Alright, I'll admit, I may be slightly-"

"**Slightly**?" Jack chuckled. "Seriously, man! You're so worn down that you look older than **me**, and you were programmed to be my **little** brother."

"Alright, alright, I get it! So I've been a little stressed out; so what?"

"Teddy, a **little** stressed out doesn't do this to people's appearances! Have you forgotten that once they have been growing older for a set amount of time, video game characters **cease to age**?"

"Why are you suddenly so worried about me?"

"Because I'm your brother, and you are in much worse shape than anyone should ever be in!"

"Alright, so I'm not at my best-"

"Dude, you looked better when you were Turbo! And no offense, but then, you kind of looked like a zombie."

"Alright, that is **not** true! The looking worse now part, not the zombie part. You do have a point with that."

"You know, I never thought that I would say this, but I'm really worried about you, Teddy! Alright,**_ this_** is not normal." He said, gesturing towards his haggard looking brother. "You need help."

"I do not need help! I am fine!" Teddy replied hysterically.

"No you are not!"

"So my hair is a little gray-"

"That's not even my real worry! I can believe one hundred percent that it's from anxiety. You have every reason to be stressed out. And honestly, if anything, it looks more black than gray, which doesn't make much sense, but I won't read too much into that. Really, it's everything **else** that concerns me."

"Everything else?"

"Come with me." Jack replied, leading his brother to a small section that was separated from the rest of Game Central.

"Why did you take me** here**?"

"It was the closest place with a mirror that I could find. I think that they had intended to make it into a bathroom, but they never finished."

"Jack, I had to look in a mirror to get ready for the banquet that Vanellope's hosting. I really don't think that I could have changed that much since then."

"Just look."

"Alright." Teddy replied, obediently approaching it. "But I seriously doubt that there will be anythi- **Gah!**" He screamed, jumping back. He wouldn't have been surprised if he had changed a tiny bit in the last hour, but nothing could have prepared him for this. His skin was pallid and sickly looking. His hair stuck out wildly at all angles, and just as Jack had said, looked slightly black, in incredible contrast with its natural blonde color. Dark circles surrounded his eyes, and upon noticing this, he realized something much worse. **His eyes**. They were the least noticeable difference, but at the same time, the most disturbing, and the instant that Teddy noticed them, he had to work hard not to scream. While he had always laughed that depending on the lighting, they really could look like any color, he doubted that any lighting could make them glow in the eerily familiar shade of yellow that they were now. "I-I don't understand! J-just a short while ago I was… and now… I almost look like…" He put his hand on his head. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Teddy, I…" Jack started, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I wish I knew what to say..."

"Well, do you think that you could you answer a question with complete and total honesty?"

"Of course." He replied. While everything that he had said at the beginning of their conversation had been mainly out of fear, he now was surprised to realize that he was genuinely concerned for his brother.

"Do you think that there's a chance that… that when Sugar Rush reset, it may not have completely gotten rid of… you know… T-Turbo?"

"Honestly, I don't know. It wouldn't make much sense. I mean, it reset, and that would undo any changes to your code, and Turbo was exactly that. But at the same time…"

"Yeah. What am I going to tell everybody? I can't just pretend that there's nothing different about me."

"Well, maybe you can." Jack replied with a glimmer in his eye.

"I'm listening."


	6. Chapter 6

**_Author's Note: Alright, here's Chapter 6. I understand that it is a bit dialogue-heavy and shorter than usual, but it's building up to the climax. So, I apologize if it's a little slow. I promise that it will pick up soon. Enjoy!_**

"A hoodie?" Teddy scoffed. "You went on as if you had this big plan, and all you tell me is: wear a hoodie?"

"Well, it works." Jack replied.

"Yes, if no one gets suspicious that I am **clearly** trying to hide my face."

"Well, it's not **my **fault that you're starting to look like Turbo."

"Shh! Keep it down!"

"Right, sorry."

"Alright, so all we have to do is get into Sugar Rush without being noticed." Teddy said, trying desperately to change the subject.

"Why Sugar Rush?"

"Well, I said that you had to move into a racing game, didn't I?"

"So, that's where I'm going?"

"Exactly."

"Sweet." Jack replied, before laughing, and adding: "Literally."

"Well, I guess, but it's not exactly going to be comfortable."

"Why?"

"Well, even though I appreciate that you're being nice to me now, that doesn't change anything. You still have to be punished. So, you'll be spending most of your time in the Fungeon."

"Fungeon?"

"Fun dungeon. You know? It's a play on words… It's a fun… Never mind; it's a pretty terrible pun anyway."

"So, I guess you could say that my time in the Fungeon will be part of my **pun**-ishment." Jack joked, and the two brothers both started laughing. As they both reached the entrance of Sugar Rush, Surge Protector appeared.

"Step aside, gentlemen. Random security check." He said, with his eyes glued on his clipboard, per the norm. Teddy shied away nervously; of all the people who couldn't be able see his face, Surge was on the very top of the list. "Names?"

"Jack and Teddy." Jack replied.

"And where're you coming from?"

"Uh, well we kind of are just coming from the station…"

"Okay, and where're you heading?"

"Uh, Sugar Rush?" He scoffed. It should have been fairly obvious, but then again, Surge never seemed to look up, so he didn't see the giant sign with the game's title directly overhead.

"Alright, carry on." He said, before clicking his pen and flashing away.

"That's funny. He usually asks if you have anything to declare." Teddy pointed out.

"I guess one too many people have responded with 'I hate you.'" Jack laughed.

"Probably. Anyway, let's get inside before someone sees us." He whispered, sneaking quickly in. Jack chuckled at his klutzy brother's attempt at being stealthy, and casually strolled in after him. The both walked wordlessly up to the castle before reaching the top floor, where all of the bedrooms were. Teddy located his door and sprinted in, pulling the hood off of his head. Jack tried, and failed, not to wince at his brother's appearance, which was even more ghastly than it had been a few minutes before. "What?" Teddy asked.

"N-nothing!"

"Seriously, what's wrong?"

"You just kind of look…"

"Worse?"

"Yeah."

"I don't get it!" Teddy cried. "I feel fine, but I look awful!"

"It doesn't make any sense. Can you think of anything else about you that's changed recently?"

"Not that I can think of." He replied. That was when they heard a familiar voice coming from the hall.

"Hey Teddy? Are you in there, brother?"

"Felix!" Teddy whispered. "He can't see me like this. Hide me!"

"Where?" Jack replied in the same hushed tone.

"You know, I can hear you whispering in there!" Another voice called out.

"I'm kind of busy, Vanellope!" Teddy shouted, hoping that she and the handyman would go away.

"Well, is it something we could help you with?" Felix offered.

"Uh, no. Not really." Teddy replied nervously.

"Forget this jibber-jabber!" Vanellope shouted, turning the doorknob. "Teddy, have you forgotten that I'm having a big celebration downstai- **whoa**!" She exclaimed.

"What's wrong, little miss- **jiminy jaminey**!"

"I know, I know." Teddy said, running a hand self-consciously through his dark-streaked hair.

"Ted, what happened to you?" Felix asked.

"That's what we're trying to figure out." He replied.

"You kind of look like…y-you know..."

"Turbo?"

"Yeah." Felix replied quietly. Vanellope's eyes widened as a realization hit her.

"Uhh, Felix? Can I talk to you for a second? In private?"

"Uh, sure little missy." Felix replied hesitantly, and the little girl led him out into the hallway, out of earshot. "What's wrong, kiddo?"

"I think I might know what's wrong with Teddy."

"What? Tell me!"

"Well… I may or may not have been in the code earlier today, and-"

"Why were you in the code?"

"To pull a prank on Taffyta! G-doi! I was going to officially change her last name to Lambchocolate. Get it? Muttonfudge, Lambchocolate?"

"Yeah, I get it. What does this have to do with Teddy, exactly?"

"Well, you know how in our game, the code boxes for the visiting characters appear off to the side?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, I caught a glimpse of Teddy's…and it wasn't looking very good."

"How?"

"It was sparking and glitching like crazy, and the color of it was all weird, and it looked like there was some creepy blobby thing on it, and I think-"

"Say no more, Vanny. I know what's going on."

"What?"

"Well, by the sound of it, it appears that he might have…" He stopped with a shudder. He knew that it was true, but saying it out loud felt like it would make it official. "A virus."

"I-I have a what?" Felix heard from behind him. He turned to see the terrified face of his best friend, who was quickly joined by Jack, whose presence confused the handyman, but he didn't think it was a good time to ask about it.

"A virus, Ted." Felix sighed. Teddy put a hand on his head, and leaned against the wall.

"W-what do you think is going to happen?"

"I honestly can't say until I have more information, buddy. Every virus does something different. Some cause systems to crash, some delete files, some prevent things from working at all-"

"Felix, wait." Teddy interrupted.

"What?"

"There aren't any viruses that get rid of any recent changes to software, are there?" He asked nervously.

"Well, I'm no expert, but I actually think there is."

"**What**?"

"Yeah. What's the big deal?"

"Don't you get it? If this virus is undoing things that have been changed in my code, then that means that it is deleting the most important change of all! The change that took place when Vanellope crossed the finish line and reset the game."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Jack asked nervously.

"I think so." Teddy replied.

"So that means…" Felix began nervously. Teddy sighed before finishing the sentence, wide-eyed in dread.

"I'm turning back into Turbo."


	7. Chapter 7

A few days later, Teddy sat in the kitchen, absentmindedly stirring a cup of hot chocolate and staring off into space, while Carmella stood nearby, putting the finishing touches on a batch of cookies. After a few minutes of silence, she figured that she ought to say something.

"You know, if you wait too long to drink that, it's going to get cold." She laughed. Teddy glanced up at her with a half-smile, then looked away. "I didn't see you at the banquet the other day." She said, leaning on the counter. When Teddy still didn't reply, she continued to talk. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Not really." He said, before turning his eyes back to his drink.

"Well, what's wrong?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, motioning towards his face.

"Yeah. I didn't want to say anything, but you certainly look a bit…different."

"Well, yeah. That's what **viruses** do to people."

"So the virus attached to you?"

"What do you know about this virus?"

"Not much. I** did** hear a few people freaking out about one that has been going around. Apparently, it's pretty bad."

"I know that first-hand."

"Well, is there anything I can do for you?"

"I don't think so. Felix checked it out, and apparently, there's little to no way to get rid of it."

"My goodness. Almost sounds like…"

"Sounds like what?" Teddy asked.

"Well, I don't want to upset you even more. I shouldn't have even mentioned it."

"You won't. What does it sound like?"

"Well, I don't know the whole story, but apparently, after you got RoadBlasters unplugged and went into hiding, well, people didn't really know what to do. Most were just shocked that something like that could happen, but there were some who were the exact opposite. They idolized you. And while most of them were caught before they could do anything extreme in an attempt to copy you, there was one person who got away with all of that, and more."

"Who?"

"She was a sorceress of the worst kind. Deyanira was her name. She was the main character of an old fantasy game called Saviors of Ilargia, until it got unplugged, that is."

"Why was it unplugged?"

"Simple: the players couldn't stand her. She was supposed to be the hero, but she was so conceited and rude that no one wanted to play as her. Litwak wasn't making any money on the game, so he unplugged it, and replaced it with something else."

"That couldn't have ended well."

"It didn't. Deyanira was furious. She vowed that if her game went down, she would take the rest of the arcade down with her. She almost did, too. Using her magical powers, she was able to create a horrible virus that ravaged the arcade, and no one was able to stop her. And, because it was enchanted, the virus was impossible to destroy."

"Y-you don't think that she created the virus that I have, do you?"

"Impossible. You see, Deyanira was powerful, but she was also limited. Outside of the game, her magic only worked by moonlight. For almost an entire summer, she wreaked havoc on the arcade every single night, and because everyone was working while Litwak's was open, no one was there to stop her while she was at her weakest. But, one day, Litwak closed up shop early. Because everyone was free to leave their games during the day, they all ganged up on her, and took her down for good. When her magic wand was destroyed, it undid every spell that she had performed with it, so the virus was no more."

"Wow." Teddy said. "This girl seems worse than…well, me."

"Yeah. But, we don't have to worry about her now. She's been gone for years."

"How many years?"

"I don't know, fourteen, fifteen?"

"That's exactly how long Felicity has been missing! You don't think Deyanira could have…I don't know, done something to her before she was destroyed… do you?"

"I seriously doubt that." Carmella laughed. "It's probably just a coincidence. I'm sure that Felicity is just fine."

"Do you think I'll ever find her?"

"I'm sure you will eventually. Honestly, I'll bet you're closer to her than you think."

"You're just saying that."

"No, I'm not. I'm sure that you'll find her any day now. You know, if that nasty virus of yours doesn't get in the way."

"What if it does?"

"Well, I'm no expert."

"I know, but you're still my friend."

"Well, it really depends. Do you know why she left in the first place?"

"That's the thing; I actually sort of think it was my fault. And now, if I'm becoming Turbo again…"

"Don't think like that! You're a great guy, Teddy. And if Felicity really cares about you, then she won't let something like this virus get in the way."

"Thanks, Carmella. You're a good friend."

"Any time, Teddy. Any time at all."

That night, everyone sat around the dinner table. Ralph and Vanellope sat on the edge of their seats, already eagerly awaiting whatever dessert Carmella had made for them all, even though they hadn't even finished their meals yet. Felix stared dreamily at his wife, who was glaring suspiciously at Teddy, as if she expected him to snap at any second, and honestly, he feared the same thing.

"So, uh, how was everyone's day?" He asked, trying to break the silence. Felix opened his mouth to speak, but Vanellope chimed in first.

"It was awesome! I won like, every race! Once, it looked like Taffyta was gonna beat me, but then I glitched right past her, and was all like: 'Take **that**, Lambchocolate!' And then, at the Roster Race, I came in second, behind Rancis; I guess he got lucky. Boy, it sure feels good to be racing again. Everyone is nice to me, and they're even looking up to me! Can you believe it? I still can't figure out whether it's because I'm president, or just 'cause I'm a good racer. Or maybe-"

"Sorry, to cut you off, kid," Ralph interrupted, "But you may not want to use the 'r' word in front of him." He pointed to Teddy, who was beginning to look very annoyed.

"What word? **Race**?" Vanellope asked mischievously, wanting to see just how far she could push him. _It can't possibly be __**that**__ bad. _She thought. _Stinkbrain is being dramatic, 'cause he's tired of me doing the same to him. _

"Vanellope…" Felix warned her. "You really shouldn't-"

"If I wanna talk about racing, I'm gonna talk about racing!" She said impishly. "In fact, I just **love** discussing just how fun it is being an **official Sugar Rush racer**!"

"Seriously, kid. Be quiet!" Calhoun demanded, glancing worriedly at Teddy, who was all but foaming at the mouth, with a wild look in his twitching yellow eyes.

"That's such a fun word to say." Vanellope went on, ignoring her. "Race, race, race, race, race, race." Teddy was now fuming, but Vanellope didn't notice. Plus, she was having too much fun to give up now. _Just __**one **__more thing. _She thought. _My legacy of dragging jokes out for too long isn't ending today. Besides, Carmella said that he was fine when they were talking earlier. _"But in all seriousness, though, I had a really great day." She laughed, and a collective sigh of relief could be heard throughout the room, until she finished with: "I've been doing so well lately, that you might even say I'm the **greatest racer ever**." Felix had to rapidly leap out of his seat to restrain his best friend, who had jumped up furiously, about to lunge at the child.

"Teddy, chill out! Relax!" He shouted, trying to force him back into his chair. A look of shocked realization appeared on Teddy's face, and he sat again, putting his head down on the table.

"Oh, gosh." He said with a shudder.

"I-I'm sorry, Teddy." Vanellope stuttered. "I didn't realize-"

"No." He interrupted. "It's not your fault, it's mine. I have to learn to control myself."

"It's not your fault, man." Felix said comfortingly. "It's the virus, not you."

"Thanks, Felix."

"No problem."

"I just hope we can figure out a way to get rid of this soon." Teddy sighed.

"Yeah. But it looks tricky, and my hammer doesn't work on code." Felix replied apologetically. "It's odd; I swear I've seen a similar one before, but I can't quite put my finger on it."

"Well, Carmella told me earlier that it almost sounded like a virus that went around a few years ago."

"Really? Did she say which one?" Ralph asked, taking a sip of water, trying hard not to break the delicate glass that it was in.

"She didn't say what the virus was called, but she did mention that it was created by a girl named Deyanira." Teddy replied. Ralph spit out his water, soaking Sergeant Calhoun, who looked none too pleased with him.

"**Deyanira?!**" He and Felix asked in unison.

"Who's Deyanira?" Vanellope asked.

"Only the cruelest person ever to exist in the history of Litwak's arcade!" Ralph replied. "That witch was a threat to anyone who approached her!"

"Thank goodness she's gone for good!" Felix exclaimed. "Why, if Mr. Litwak hadn't closed the arcade early that one day, she would have put it out of business completely!" He paused for a second, before nervously asking: "You don't think this virus may have something to do with her, do you? I mean, everyone says that when the source of her power was destroyed, then so was the virus that she created, but…"

"Don't be ridiculous, Felix." Ralph replied. "If Deyanira's virus is suddenly back, then she would have to be, as well. It's not possible."

"Well, I'm not saying that she's back. I'm just saying that the whole reason that she tried to take over other games was because she was taking inspiration from Turbo. What if now, there's someone who is trying to copy Deyanira?"

"Maybe."

"I sure hope not." Teddy replied. "That would be **far** from Turbo-tastic." Immediately after finishing the sentence, he quickly covered his mouth with his hand, wide-eyed.

"Did you just say what I think you said?" Vanellope asked nervously. Teddy nodded shamefully.

"Jiminy jaminey." Felix exclaimed. "This virus is taking effect even quicker than I thought."

"What are we going to do?" Ralph asked.

"Well, Mr. Litwak is closing the arcade for the day tomorrow, so I'll have time to investigate a little bit more." Felix replied. "Until then, I think that we should all stay in the castle until then. The more of us there are, the less likely things are to get out of hand. And we're going to need extra guards near the code room, by the looks of it."

"Agreed." Ralph chimed in.

"I can get some of my soldiers." Calhoun volunteered. "I'm sure they would be more than willing to spend the night here.

"Thanks for doing this, guys." Teddy said. "It really means a lot."

"No problem, buddy." Felix replied. "We won't let you down."

"Honestly Felix, I think that I should be the one saying that to you." Teddy sighed. "Though, I'm not sure if I can promise anything, so I apologize in advance if I do something harsh."

"Don't worry about it, Teddy." Vanellope said. "We know what a great guy you really are."

"The question is," Teddy replied, "how long will I be able to stay that guy?"


	8. Chapter 8

After what felt like forever, Jack had finally found a comfortable enough position on the single, rock-hard bench in his cell in the Fungeon to get to sleep. As he drifted off, his mind wandered to the events of the past few days. Not what had happened to him, but to Teddy. _I just can't believe it. _He thought. _Throughout most of my life I despised him, but now that he's infected with this virus, and turning back into what __**I**__ made him… I feel terrible. It's all my fault. All my fault…_

* * *

_"It's all my fault!" He shouted, pacing back and forth. "It's all my fault, and now __**you**__ have to pay for it! How is that fair at all?" Part of Jack knew that he was dreaming, but at the same time, it all felt completely real. Surveying his surroundings, he realized that he was back in he and his brother's old game; the one that the two of them had grown up in. He knew right then and there that what was playing out was not just a dream, but a memory. An incredibly young Teddy -no more than ten years old, at the most- stood in front of him concernedly._

_"It's really fine, Jack. You didn't know-" _

_"Does that even matter?" He snapped back. "All that matters is that now that you're not really a glitch anymore, you could put Dad out of a job!"_

_"But, I would never do that!" Teddy shouted back, as if the statement had offended him._

_"Well, __**I**__ know that." Jack sighed, sitting down on a bench, pushing a strand of his shaggy, black hair out of his face. "But __**he**__ doesn't."_

_"Well, why would he? We may have good intentions, but at the end of the day, we're just a couple of kids." Teddy sighed, sitting down next to his brother. "Why on earth would he believe us?"_

_"Because he's our dad! He should listen to us when we say-"_

_"Jack, look. The only reason that your father's not listening-"_

_"Your? Don't you mean__** our**__ father?"_

_"Well, technically, yes. But he's made it clear that he likes you way more than he likes me."_

_"That is so not true!"_

_"Yes it is." Teddy sighed. "He hates me, Jack."_

_"Why would he hate you?"_

_"Because I'm just a glitch!" He snapped back with more anger in his voice than Jack had ever heard. Teddy took a deep breath, and paused, before adding: "You, on the other hand… __**You **__are his pride and joy. 'Perfect little Jack.' You were made to be a racer; to make our father proud. Meanwhile, some people think that I wasn't supposed to exist at all."_

_"B-but you're not a glitch anymore!" Jack replied._

_"Isn't that what is causing this whole problem in the first place?" Teddy asked gravely._

_"Well, yeah…but-"_

_"Just face it, Jack. With the passing of every day, there comes a new challenge. For some, these are easily overcome, but for others, the solution to one is the cause of another that is significantly worse. This cycle continues endlessly unless a drastic change is made, and opportunities to make these changes come once, maybe twice in a lifetime." Teddy replied eloquently. Jack sighed, looking towards his brother. Here was this little kid with messy hair, a baggy t-shirt, and glasses that covered most of his face, and yet behind those thick lenses and humongous, unusually colored eyes, was an incredibly old soul. Even though Teddy was two years younger, Jack often found himself asking him for advice, and he always responded in a way that sounded like it wasn't coming out of a ten-year-old at all. He was deep, and wise, but at the same time, he was looked down upon, both literally and metaphorically, by nearly everyone. Jack never could quite understand why. He had always idolized his brother._

_"Well, maybe I can talk to Dad." He sighed. "There's a chance that I could convince him-"_

_"No." Teddy interrupted._

_"What?"_

_"I said no. I appreciate the consideration, Jack. I-I really do. But… honestly, no amount of convincing will change anything around here. Everyone in this game is programmed to be self-obsessed, competitive, jerks. It makes for better gameplay, because it is more intense, and therefore, more entertaining, and that's great for the gamers, and even for most people in the game. But glitches like me don't stand a chance in this environment, and you know it. That's why I wanted to leave in the first place."_

_"Well, if we did all of this so you could leave, then why are you still here?" He asked. "Why don't you just go?"_

_"It's not as simple as that, Jack. They've got guards everywhere that want to lock me up, and even if I managed to sneak past them, and get out, then I would be completely homeless. Though actually, that's not all that different from my current situation…"_

_"W-well, I'm sure that someone would be willing to take you in! I've heard that Fix-It Felix is really nice, and he has two kids around our age!"_

_"With my glitchy code? I could mess up the entire system! Besides, let's say I move into Fix-It Felix. Even if I hide during gameplay, that is still game jumping, and someone could see me. And while Litwak's is open, nonetheless! Only a total idiot would game jump during arcade hours!"_

_"Yeah. If anyone did that, not only would the game probably get unplugged, but their name would live in infamy for as long as the arcade is open."_

_"So, what am I going to do? It's nearly impossible for me to leave, and even if I did somehow manage to get out, who knows what would happen? I mean, there's a chance that I could glitch up the entire arcade!"_

_"Well, I highly doubt __**that**__."_

_"Well, either way, I can't just go strolling out. I have to make a plan of some sort."_

_"Dude, you're only ten! You can't do all of this without help!" Jack said firmly._

_"Well, __**you're **__only twelve!" Teddy replied._

_"It's still older than ten. Besides, whatever you do, I want to come with you!"_

_"Now, why on earth would you want to do that? You've got it good here, Jack!"_

_"Not without you! Teddy, you're not just my brother. You're my best friend. You're the only person in this stupid game that is purely, unconditionally good, and I don't care if I am waited on hand-and-foot in here! I would rather be homeless if it means that I don't have to lose you."_

_"Jack, if you help me any more than you have, then Father-"_

_"I don't care what he does! He's programmed to despise pretty much everyone. You might as well add me to the list!"_

_"I won't let you do that, Jack!" Teddy shouted._

_"You can't change my mind, Ted! I'm going to help you, no matter what! I don't care just how bad off it would make me. I don't care if it's dangerous! All I care about is sticking together!"_

_"Well then, I guess you have left me no choice."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Jack, I really appreciate what you want to do, but I can't let you risk everything just for me!"_

_"So, what are you going to do?"_

_"H-have you ever heard the phrase: i-if you c-can't beat them, join them?" He stuttered somberly._

_"Y-yeah."_

_"Well, Jack… You're my brother, and I love you. You're the one person who has ever made me feel welcome here, but the only thing that can be done to protect you is to make none of that true anymore."_

_"What?" Jack asked. Without another word, Teddy took off towards the door of the code room that the duo had accidentally left open. Jack made a mental note to close it later, and sprinted after his brother, who was already almost to his code box. "No! Teddy, whatever you're doing, please stop! We're in this together, and we always have been! You can't change that! It's not possible. You can't undo history!"_

_"You're right. But, even though it will ruin nearly everything for me, the only way to keep people from hurting you is to do the next most powerful thing."_

_"W-what?"_

_"Well, you see Jack, I __**can't**__ undo history, but I can make you forget that any of it even happened!" _

* * *

"Nooooo!" Jack screamed, snapping awake. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. All of this had happened forty years beforehand, but it felt like time hadn't passed at all. He heard the sound of a creaking doorway, followed by slow footsteps.

"Are you okay down there, Jack?" He heard a familiar voice ask.

"Teddy!" He called out a bit too enthusiastically. Once the reality of the situation hit him, his eagerness died down a bit. "I-I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"No, I haven't been able to sleep at all." His brother replied. "Bad dream?"

"Yeah."

"What was it about?"

"Just the day that you… edited my memory… you know… to make me forget that you and I are brothers." He replied quietly. Teddy sighed.

"Look, Jack. I-I'm sorry that I did that. I just didn't want anything happening to you, and the more that you tried to help me, the more danger you were in."

"Weren't you worried that the same things would happen to you?"

"Honestly? I was terrified. But I could deal with all of that as long as I knew that you didn't have to. Even though after a few years, I kind of… completely despised you."

"With good reason. I was horrible. And I knew that I would be. Your friendship was the only thing that was keeping me from becoming just like everyone else in that horrible game, and without my memory of you actually **being** my friend…"

"Yeah…" Teddy sighed.

"Look… I don't think that I actually had time to say this before, but I am so sorry… about everything. Not just changing your code, but pushing you around, calling you names, telling everyone that you were a glitch, and just being an overall jerk. And you have no reason whatsoever to -"

"I forgive you." Teddy interrupted.

"What?"

"Look, when I became myself again after the game reset, I was in basically the same position as you are now. I knew that I had done something unforgivable, and that I didn't deserve to be forgiven, but Vanellope took me in anyway. To not do the same for you, especially considering that I know first-hand what kind of person you really are, would just be cruel. Because, if you're in my shoes, which I think you are, then you're already punishing yourself enough for both of us."

"Thanks, Teddy." Jack replied appreciatively. "I really don't deserve this. Especially now that this virus is turning you back into… you know…"

"Yeah." Teddy whimpered, leaning against the bars of the cell. The dim light coming from the window lit up his face, and Jack sighed at how thoroughly unrecognizable it was. Teddy was still clearly himself, but at the same time, looked nothing like he used to. "Words do not describe how hard I am working to stay myself right now." He said solemnly.

"Is there anything that I can do?" Jack asked.

"You can keep it down!" The heard coming from up the stairs. Both brothers turned to see Vanellope peering through the doorway. "A **child** is trying to sleep up here."

"Sorry, kid." Jack called up. "We were just talking about-" He started, but stopped abruptly upon realizing that Vanellope didn't know that he and Teddy were related, and it was probably best to keep it that way. "Uh, about… um… this game's theme song!" he lied. "I've had it stuck in my head all day! Just a constant: 'S-U-G-A-R, jump into your racing car, say Sugar Rush! Sugar Rush!'" He sang nervously. Vanellope wasn't convinced.

"And you're discussing this at 12:30 in the morning?" She asked.

"Uh…Yes…" Jack replied. "Now why don't you just go to bed?"

"Alright. Whatever." Vanellope said, walking away. Once he was sure that she was gone, Jack turned back towards his brother, who was trying not to laugh.

"The Sugar Rush theme song…" Teddy chuckled. "From the brilliant mind that brought us 'wear a hoodie.'" Jack's serious expression turned into a smile as he tried not to chuckle. After a few moments, both brothers erupted into laughter; the tone of their conversation changing completely.

"Well, I wasn't lying when I said that it was stuck in my head. Talk about an ear worm!"

"Tell me about it!" Teddy laughed. The two brothers continued joking and cracking up until the morning, and both saw sides of the other that they hadn't seen in a long time. They finally felt their severed bond begin to mend, and all of their troubles seemed to fade away. They felt like brothers again for the first time in a while, and in their joy, they didn't hear the suspicious pitter-patter of footsteps coming from right upstairs.


	9. Chapter 9

The next night, Jack was moved into a larger, far more comfortable cell, as per Teddy's request. Just as he was about to go to sleep for the night, he heard the sound of footsteps from the hall. Sitting up groggily, he approached the candy cane bars that were separating him from the person just outside.

"W-who's there?" He asked. The person who was walking by stopped in their tracks.

"I could ask you the same thing." The figure replied. Jack could have sworn that he recognized her voice from somewhere, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"M-my name's Jack." He stuttered. "I'm-"

"Teddy's brother." She interrupted. Jack's eyes widened in surprise, and he could have sworn that he had heard a gasp from the cell immediately beside his.

"How did you know-?"

"I know a lot of things, Jack. I know that Teddy erased your memory when you were children to keep you safe from the thugs in your game. I know that you bullied him for the entirety of high school. I know that you are the one that turned him into Turbo, and I know that you regret it every day." She said ominously. Jack stared at the figure in confusion for a while before asking the question that he had been meaning to ask the entire time.

"Who are you?"

"Well, you should know that already, Jack." She replied, stepping into the faint light coming in through a crack in the wall so he could see her face. "Don't you recognize me?"

"Oh, Carmella, it's just you." He replied with a sigh of relief. "Sorry I couldn't tell at first; your voice sounds really different. What are you doing down here?"

"Well, I've just come down to bring our guest some news." The chef replied, her usually sugary sweet voice sounding far more low, silky, and dark; her accent completely gone.

"Then why were you surprised to see me?"

"Well, I wasn't talking about you." She chuckled.

"Then who-"

"Who I am talking about doesn't matter. What matters is that you are clearly suspicious, and I just can't have that."

"Well, I wasn't suspicious about anything until now!"

"Oh, well." Carmella replied. "I've been dying to tell someone the full story anyway. Of course, once I do, you won't be allowed to ever leave this cell or speak to anyone ever again."

"W-what are you talking about?"

"Well you see, Jack. Today, as you probably know, Felix went into the code to investigate Teddy's virus. And do you know what he found?"

"Your mind? Because you seem to have lost it."

"No. He found what I knew all along. The virus was one of Deyanira's."

"How on earth did you know that?"

"I told you. I know things."

"Well, how could it be Deyanira's? She's dead!"

"No, she's not."

"What?"

"When Deyanira was overcome, she was greatly weakened, but not killed. She merely faked her own death and went into hiding. And now, she's returned to seek her revenge."

"I-I don't get it! I mean, I believe that could happen, I really do, but why would she want revenge? Wasn't she the heroine of her game? Things like revenge aren't usually in anyone's code, let alone the protagonist!"

"It was in yours." She replied. "And Turbo's, too."

"Well, yeah, but… but that was different! I was a selfish, overconfident teenager, and his code was modified! She's just evil!"

"Exactly. You see, the twist ending of Saviors of Ilargia was that the person that you fight against throughout most of it is the real lead character. Near the end, everything switched around: you played as the other sorceress and battled Deyanira."

"Who was the other sorceress?" Jack asked. "I don't remember anyone at school being magical."

"Well, that's a very good question. You actually are right about that. Deyanira and her opponent were not magical at first. They gained their powers when they were added to the game."

"What exactly were the requirements to get a game like that?"

"Well, the supposed protagonist, which was Deyanira, had to be believably good with a hidden dark side. And then the other girl had to be purely good and selfless. She could never do anything with negative intentions, and had to be nearly impossible to dislike."

"Man… that almost sounds like it describes…" Jack started, but then stopped in shock as the realization hit him head-on like a runaway train, and he stood speechless and wide eyed.

"That's right, Jack. It was Felicity."

"B-but she wanted to be a racer!"

"Not after everything with Turbo, she didn't. And she was perfect for Saviors of Ilargia, so that's where she went."

"Well, why didn't Felix know that? And what happened to her when the game was unplugged?"

"You see, Felix was incredibly busy in the week that Saviors was plugged in, and obviously, so was Felicity. The game was unplugged so quickly that he never learned about it, and she didn't want to admit to anyone that she had been a part of it. She even gave up the magic that she had been granted, which was not the best move on her part, because Deyanira was more powerful than ever. On the day that she was supposedly defeated, Felicity knew that something was up; that she wouldn't go down so easily. She found her a few days later and threatened to tell everyone that she was still alive. Deyanira couldn't afford to be given away like that. She was weak, and her powers were all but completely depleted without her wand. She had to learn to do magic without it. Luckily for her, a new game was plugged in that day. She fled into it, and took Felicity with her. The two were supposedly never seen again. Until now, that is."

"Wait, so Deyanira still has Felicity?"

"Well, technically. Yes."

"Then where **is** Deyanira? And why would she infect Teddy with this virus?"

"Well, she's right here in Sugar Rush. And she is planning to attack within a few days, but she doesn't want to risk everything and work alone. She needs help. But not just any help. The help of her inspiration."

"Who's her inspiration?"

"Turbo, you idiot!"

"W-well, we have to do something!" Jack shouted. "We have to stop this virus before it takes full effect!"

"Oh, I'm afraid that you're a bit late. You see, Teddy was infected six days ago. So tomorrow, it will be seven. Do you know what that means?"

"That it will have been a week?"

"Exactly. And do you know what happens after one of Deyanira's viruses has been in someone's code for a week?"

"N-no. What?"

"It not only takes full effect, but becomes **permanent**." She chuckled evilly. "So tomorrow, when the clock strikes twelve, your precious little Teddy will be gone for good. Nothing but a fading memory. And Turbo will be back, stronger and more evil than ever."

"**NOOOO!**" Jack shouted, though his voice wasn't the only one. He turned his head in confusion towards the wall that was separating his cell from the one immediately beside him.

"Oh, I see you've noticed my other little prisoner." Carmella laughed. "I'm surprised that it took you this long to realize that we weren't alone. Why don't you two say hello?" She snapped her fingers, and as if by magic, the wall retracted into the floor, turning the two separate cells into one big one. Jack's eyes widened at the sight of the person standing beside him. She looked worn and tired, her brown hair was knotted, and her clothing was torn. But one look into her big, blue eyes, and Jack saw the same optimism and kindness that he had seen in them many years beforehand when he first met her. A smile spread across his face, as he addressed the one person that he never thought that he would see again.

"F-Felicity?"

"Jack?" Felicity asked.

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe it's really you!" Jack shouted, running up and pulling her into a hug.

"Uh, Jack?"

"Yes?"

"Have you forgotten what you were just told? Like, thirty seconds ago?" She asked, pulling away from him.

"What? Oh! Right!" He shouted, turning back towards Carmella. "We have to do something quickly! There is no way that I am letting Teddy turn into Turbo again!"

"How are **you** going to stop it? You're locked up." Carmella chuckled.

"Well, unlock us, then!"

"Now, why on earth would I want to do that?"

"To save your friend?"

"I have no friends!" She snapped.

"Oh, so everything that's happened in the last few years, that's all been fake?"

"Exactly. You see, Turbo isn't the only one in Sugar Rush that's good at putting on an act. The only difference being that I am getting away with it."

"An act? But why would you… Wait a second! Y-you're working for Deyanira, aren't you?!"

"Of course not! Why would you think that? I couldn't possibly be **working** for Deyanira."

"Oh, thank goodness!"

"Because I **am** Deyanira!" She shouted.

"Phew! I was starting to- Wait, **WHAT**?!"

"That's right. I came into Sugar Rush on the same day that your brother did. Gaining everyone's trust, I quickly made my way to the inside. I learned everything that I needed to know, and didn't even have to work for it. Since everyone was on the racetrack during the day, I had plenty of time to practice using magic without my wand, all while growing stronger and stronger. And now, I have finally regained the power that I had lost. All I need is Turbo, and tomorrow, I will have him, as well. We will take over every game in the entirety of Litwak's, and once we're finished, I'll get rid of him. I will be the sole leader of this arcade! Everyone will bow down before me, and nobody will dare try to thwart my plans again!"

"You'll never get away with this, Deyanira!" Felicity shouted. "You lost once before, and you'll lose again!"

"Oh, really? And who's going to stop me? You?"

"Who says I won't?"

"Oh, please. You've been trapped in here for fifteen years, and you'll be here for another!" She chuckled. "But just to be sure…" She raised her hand towards the bars of the cell, and an orb of electricity shot out and began running up and down the candy rods. "Now, no one on the outside but me can see or hear your cries for help. And if you try to escape… well, you'll find that out for yourself." She turned around and started walking down the long hallway towards the exit. "So long you two!" She shouted behind her. "I'll make sure to tell Teddy that you say goodbye, because, trust me, you're never going to see him again."

"Nooo!" The two shouted in unison, but they knew that it wouldn't do anything. Deyanira was already gone.


	10. Chapter 10

**_Author's Note: Here is the next chapter! This will probably seem a bit slow compared to all of the reveals of the last one, but the next update is sure to have some serious action. Speaking of the reveals, what did you guys think? Did you figure out the twist? Were you surprised by it? I'm really curious as to what people thought. Though, of course, if you didn't leave a review on the last chapter, then my begging for one is probably going to be ignored, but I figure that if asking gets me one more than there would have been, that would be awesome. Plus, I didn't know what else to put in this Author's Note…Is that supposed to be capitalized? insert long, awkward pause here Anywaaayyy…I'm probably starting to seem incredibly annoying, so I'll just let you read the next chapter. Enjoy!_**

Teddy slumped down on the chair in his bedroom with a weary sigh. He had slept quite restlessly ever since he had been found in Diet Cola Mountain, but nothing compared to the horrible night that he'd just had. He placed a hand on his forehead, which was all but throbbing in pain from exhaustion. His eyes wandered towards the mirror hanging on the wall, and he instantly kicked himself for his foolishness. He knew that the face he would see was not his own; that the mere sight of the scowling visage reflecting back at him would make him both furious and terrified at the same time. But he looked anyway. And one glance at his hateful yellow eyes forced him to turn away as quickly as possible. For weeks, he had hoped that Turbo could eventually become nothing more than an unpleasant memory, but forgetting him was impossible with those eyes glaring at him whenever he approached a reflective surface of any sort. A soft tap was heard on the door, and he turned exhaustedly towards the sound.

"Who is it?" He croaked; his voice raspy and distorted.

"It's Felix." The handyman's voice answered far more cheerfully than Teddy felt was possible in that particular situation.

"Alright. Come in." He sighed. The door squeaked open, as Felix strolled in.

"Well, don't you sound cheerful?" He asked sarcastically.

"I'm not in the mood, Felix." Teddy growled.

"Look, Teddy. I-I know that this is tough to accept. But-"

"What's tough to accept?" He scoffed. "That this virus is all but unstoppable? That I am less and less like myself every day? That I can't get a good night's sleep to save my life? That every time I look at my reflection, I see** his** eyes in the place of my own, and know that my days of even being myself are numbered?"

"But-"

"But nothing! I worked constantly for the first twenty years of my life to actually achieve something. To do something meaningful with my life, both for others and myself. And once I finally had what I'd worked so hard for, it was ripped away from me! I spent years in hiding, and even longer pretending to be someone completely made up, even though I wasn't actually myself in the first place! And when I finally was on the road to regaining what I once had, it was snatched away once again! So tell me, Felix: what on earth cod you possibly say to make me feel better?"

"Well, Ted, I-I wish I knew something that **could** make you feel better, but now that I think about it, I'm afraid that I actually… well… have some news that may make it worse, and while I hate to see you so upset, I suppose that I can't exactly keep it from you."

"What could possibly make it worse?"

"Well, y-you see, Teddy... Uh, well, y-you know how Carmella goes downstairs to bring Jack dinner every night?"

"Yeah. W-why?"

"Uh, well, both of them seem to have...gone missing."

"WHAT?!" Teddy shrieked. Felix attempted to answer, but his friend pushed past him before he could open his mouth. He completely forgot about his lack of energy, sprinting down the stairs; his yellow eyes wide. "JACK! CARMELLA! Answer me! **PLEASE**!"

The two prisoners turned their heads towards the sound of his screams.

"Teddy! I'm in here!" Jack shouted, banging his fists on the invisible force field between the electrified bars. He didn't dare approach the sparking source of the barrier, for Deyanira's warning had struck fear of the magic rushing up and down the candy cane bars into his heart. Felicity stood up from the bench and rushed over to get a glimpse of the person that she had been longing to see for so long. Her face sunk at the sight, however, as he was barely recognizable at all. She would have begun to worry that the virus had taken full effect, had the expression in his eyes not indicated that his heart was filled with the compassion that Turbo simply couldn't feel.

"Teddy! Please! We're right here! Deyanira locked us up! Please answer me!"

"Ugh! It's no use! He can't see or hear us!" Jack groaned. "There's nothing that we can do to get through to him!" Suddenly, the loud sound of chimes filled the air, and everyone's attention was drawn to a clock on the wall. 11:00. The concealed captives gasped. Only an hour left until the final transformation. As if someone had flipped a switch, the concern in Teddy's eyes disappeared; replaced by a cruel, cunning evilness that indicated that his own mind was put on the back burner, and Turbo now had near full control.

"Well, well, well." A voice said from seemingly out of nowhere. "I see that my work is finally starting to take effect. You were quite resistant for a while there." As she spoke, Deyanira emerged from a shadow; her disguise completely gone. She no longer even resembled the sweet, nurturing chef. Yet, Teddy almost instantly recognized her.

"C-Carmella?"

"Yes, Teddy. But my name is no longer Carmella. Call me Deyanira." She replied. Teddy paused, deep in thought, before asking:

"So it was you all along?"

"Why, yes. Yes it was." The sorceress replied. Felicity's heart raced, and she silently begged Teddy to come to his senses, though she knew that he wouldn't hear her pleas.

"Impressive, though I could do better." He chuckled. "Of course, the fact that you even give me a run for my money makes you quite a worthy opponent."

"I like the way that you think, Teddy. Though if we were to become opponents, then we would be passing up on a fantastic opportunity. I say that we should form a," She paused, trying to think of the right word to use, before eventually deciding on: "…partnership…of sorts. Together, we will conquer the entire arcade! We will be the best of the best as long as Litwak's is open, and no one will ever be able to stop us!"

"Deyanira, you are brilliant! It's about time that I officially regain the position that Wreck-It Ralph and that little **glitch** tore away from me; that I finally get back on top!" He replied with a cruel smile, then paused, before adding the one sentence that shocked the two prisoners to their core, instantly showing them that that they would have to work even quicker than they initially believed to bring Teddy back to his senses: "Oh, and if** you're** not going by Carmella anymore, then please, call me Turbo."


End file.
